The present invention relates to railroad systems, and more particularly, to methods and systems for use in aligning railroad gates.
Railroad gates are generally positioned adjacent to railroads and are configured to substantially block access to a railroad from an intersecting roadway. Specifically, railroad gates are used to warn drivers of vehicles and/or pedestrians of an oncoming train, and to prevent the drivers and pedestrians from crossing the railroad while an oncoming train passes. Typically, the railroad gate includes a moveable member that is pivotably coupled to a stationary support member. When an oncoming train is approaching an intersection, the moveable member is pivoted into a position across the roadway that substantially blocks the intersection. When the intersection is clear of passing and oncoming trains, the moveable member is pivoted upward to a stored position that allows access through the intersection.
The effectiveness of railroad gates depends on various factors, including the alignment of the gates. For example, a misaligned railroad gate may fail to adequately block an intersection, thereby creating a safety hazard. Such misalignment of a railroad gate may arise from several causes, such as, but not limited to, being struck by a passing train, being struck by a passing vehicle, being misaligned as a result of the weather, and/or through vandalism. Accordingly, current regulations require that a maintenance worker regularly travel to railroad gates to manually verify the operation and alignment of the gate. In some cases, the railroad gates are located in remote locations, and as such, the process of manually checking each gate may be a costly, inefficient, and/or time-consuming process.